Amusement tower



March 1930. D/PATTERSON 1 1,750,857

AMUSEMENT TOWER Filed April 28. 1926 '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mwsw March 18, 1930. PATTERSON I 1,750,857

AMUSEMENT TOWER 1 Filed April 28. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 18, 1930. g-gow 1,750,857

AMUSEMENT TOWER Filed April 28, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 18; 19 30. I. D. PATTERSON AMUSEMENT TOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 28, 1926 6' k5), ja/DJ 017 841.

Patented Mar. 18,1930

ISAIAH D. PATTERSON, F GARDENA, GALIFORNIA, ASSIGINOE OF"'TWO'THIRDS T'O JOHN A. MACMEEKIN, OF SAN JOSE; CAIITFOZRNZIK AMUSEMENT TOWER Application filed April 28,

My invention is an amusement tower having'aseri'eso'f different floors at different elevati'ons intended to house different amusement devices and the like, and having a central rotating elevator structure by which patronsmay be elevated to different floors.

Anobject of my invention is an improved rotatable elevator, such being arranged as a carousel "or merry-go-round in the center of thetower and being arranged to move up and down through such tower and'operable to stop at different fioor levels. i

A feature of my invention is the arrangement for reciprocating a central platform up and down in a building and rotating the carousel thereon.

A more specific object of my invention is a d-rive mechanism for operating a plurality of vertical screws simultaneously, these screws elevating the platform on which the carousel rotates. V

A further object of my invention is in the drive mechanism for operating the vertical elevating screws in combination with the drive mechanism for rotating the carousel.

Astill further object of my invention is the provision of a safety device including turnstiles whereby such may be locked at all times except when the carousel is on a certain floor level, when the turnstiles on such level will be unlocked.

My invention comprises a suitable building structure having floors at different elevations, the building being preferably circular. A

series of vertical screws, preferably four in' number, support a vertical moving platform and elevate or lower same in accordancewith the direction of rotation of the screws. A central drive shaft slidably engages the ca- 'rousel or merry-go-round mounted on the moving platform and rotates same either while the platform is stationary or while it is in movement up or down. 7

I prefer to drive the entire mechanism-by belt drives having a continuously rotating drive'shaft with a pair of reversible belts, one of'which could be utilized for elevating the platform and the other for lowering and to have a belt drive for the center shaft operatingthecarousel. r

1926. Serial No. 105,133.

I provide suitable control mechanism mounted on the platform and movingthe-rewith to control the main'belt shift, a brake mechanism for stopping'thle rotation of f the carousel and a main clutch for s'liiftingther My invention will "be more readily un'derstood from the following description and" drawings, in which; i

Figure 1 is a'vertical section through'tlie amusement tower, beingtaken substantially. on the line '11. of'Figg' 2, inithe direction of the arrows; i

, Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross sect-ion' onzthe' line 22 of Fig. 1, inthe direction ofthe arrows, showing one of ithefloors, the turnstile arrangement, the elevating screws, ver+ tical guides and thecarousel injplan;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line of Fig. 1, illustrating the drive mecha'.-

nism; i i

Fig. 4 is'a vertical section on'the line of Fig. 2, through the? turnstile locking. mechanism; I

Fig- 5 is an underneath view of taken in the direction of the arrow5';

Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the control :stationon the moving platform taken in the. di I rection of the arrow 6of- Fig. 7 i

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 7 7' of Fig. 6, .in the direction ofthearrowsg, I

Fig. 8 is an enlarged diagrammatic elevation on the line 8-8 control mechanism;

Reference. is first directed. to the toweri structure as illustrated particul'arlyint Figs; 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8': r The building structure isdesignate'd generally by the numeral 1, having a foundation 2 with a basementB therein. Outside walls of- Fig. 7 showing the- 4 extend upwardly to a suitable; elevation,

there being a series of'fioors 5 at different";

heights and a roof structure 6. The outside of the tower preferably has guard rails f and some kind of a tobogganing incline indicated by the numeral 8. I

-A series of guide columns .9 are positioned in' the building, these being shown as four in number and radially inwardly of the guide columns are elevating screws 10 these being also four'in number and centrally positioned is'a vertical drive shaft v11 for operating the carousel as hereunder set forth. Each of the vertical columns and elevating screws are boxed in by a housing 12 and a housing 13 extends A vertically through the tower and i through the different floors enclosing a controllers stationl on the vertically movingplatform 15. This platform has tracks 16 on which the carousel 17 rotates, there being supporting wheels 18 for the carousel. V

The operating mechanism for the carousel e is substantially as: follows, havingreference particularly to. Figs. 1, 2, and'3;

1' "The'platform iis provided with screw threaded extensions 19 forengaging the elevating screws 10 and the, sockets 20 fitting around the guide columns 9. A central opening21 is sufficiently large for the drive'shaft' V 11 to [extend therethroughysuch shaft being preferably formed square or of other suit- I Figs. 1 and2':-

able shape and s'lidably connected to the carouseltablebycasleeve or the like indicated by thenumeral 22., It will be noted vthat the verticalqscrewsare journaledj at the base 23 and at the top. 24 andthatltheudrive shaft is also journaled at thebase 25 and at the top 26.}

follows, having reference particularly to A source-of powerpreferably an electric motor operates a; primary drive belt'28,'

this operating a primary drive shaft, 29

which isdesigned to be always inrotation .while the motor is beingoperated. single and a reversed'belt 30 and 31 transmit power 7 from the primary shaft to thecounter-shaftf 32 which'has fixed drive} pulleys 33 .on the endsfwith loose pulleys 34in thecenter. LA

bevel pinion 35 transmits motion toa main bevel gearf36 and-the'bel'ts, are shifted by i abelt's'hifter 37 of.the usual censtruction. V

'.;The'n1ain bevel. gear 36 is mounted on the. lower endof one of the screws 10; such screw having a. thrust bearing'BSQ Sprocket gears 39 are mounted on each'of the vertical screws the same speed. Y

The drive mechanism for the central drive shaft 11 comprises a'drive pulley 44 loosely mounted on the drive shaft 29 and connecti- The drive 'is substantially as] the vertical screws they will all operate at ble therewith-by a clutch 45 which is preferably of slip clutch type. I A be'lt'or ropes drive-46 conveys motion from the pulley 44-.

to a large drum Wheel47 rigidly secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 11. A brake drum 48 is mounted on' the lower end of this drive shaft 11 and brake 49 operated by a compressed air brake cylinder 50 is utilized to apply the brakes when desired and thus control therotationof the carousel. r The control mechanism forthe belt shifter as follows, having reference particularly to Figs.6,7,.and8; 5 3 As will be noted in'Fig. 7, theicontrol station 14; is mounted on a staging 51 which is built up from one side 52 of the, platform 15 so that the control station is substantially 37,the clutch 45 and the brake is substantially v I onfa level with the carousel tablefThree. f

rocklevers 53 are mounte'djn-thecontrol stag tion and havea segment 5twith stopnotches 55 to hold said levers: in adjusted position.

Idler pulleys'56 are secured to the levers and ropes 57, arelfwound thereon extending over upper pulleys '58 and'lower pulleys 59. around; guides or the like if desired,this beinga common feature in elevator. construction. 1 s In Fig. 7, the brake cylinder 50 1s lnd cated asbeing operatively connected to the'brake lever 61,-.the clutch 4,510 the clutch lever 62,

and the belt shifter 37 to the belt shifter lever 63. It, will be noted that the clutch lever is providedwith onlytwo notchesin the seg 1 *ment as the clutch will either bethrownin orfout, whereaslwith the brake; and the belt; fasteners, these may be -required to beneugtral/ An. electric switch 64 mounted in i the control station and-electrically"connected r with the electricmotor. so thatj the operator may controlthe operation of .themotoragar well as the other parts of the mechanism-Qv The'actuation ofthe platform andacarousel ,isbel-ieved obvious5 the operator means of l the levers 61, 62 and 63 being able to control the movement ofthe platformeither up or down the rotationof thecarousel andthe braking thereof brings same to a js'top. 7 willbe apparent that the carousel is intended to rotate at comparatively high velocity.

The turnstile mechanism and the safety appliance therefor is substantially asf llows reference particularly to Figs. 2, 4

having and'5: V

t will'be noted that each of the floors has a centralopeningflfie and the outer periphery of the carousel 65 will forma relatively close fit therewith. a railingf66 extends around the opening, being spaced therefrom-snubci'entlytosaccommodate people getting on and off the carousel; Turnstiles 67 allowd htl admission and exit of passengers to and from the space 68 between the rail and the opening 64.

Each of the turnstiles is provided with a turnstile post 69 having a ratchet gear 7 0 on the lower end. The platform 15 is provided with a cam 72 having an outwardly extending part 73 and inclines n. An operating rod 75 is slidably mounted in brackets 76, having a roller 77 at one end to engage the cam and having a pawl 78 connected to the other end. This pawl has a tooth 79 adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet gear 70. A spring 80 normally presses the rod 75 towards the carousel and the dog into engagement with the ratchet gear, hence normally locking the turnstiles. On the upward or downward movement of the carousel the cam 72 operates the above described devices to unlock the turnstiles, these becoming unlocked when the table is on a level with the various floors. It will thus be seen that people cannot enter or exit through the turnstiles until the carousel table is on the level of such floors and at such level the operator will be required to bring the carousel to a stop.

Many changes in general construction and in specific details may be made in my amusement tower and in the construction of the elevating platform and carousel and in the driving mechanism therefor. Such changes however, will be within the spirit of my invention as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In ail-amusement tower, a plurality of rotatable vertical screws, a platform opera-v tively connected thereto to be raised and lowered, a driving mechanism at the base of the screws for operating same, a carousel mounted on the platform, a control station movable with the platform, and a remote control device in the control station to control the driving mechanism for the screws.

2. In an amusement tower as claimed in claim 1, having in addition means operative through the platform for rotating the carousel, and a remote control device in the control station to govern the rotation of the carousel.

3. In an amusement tower, a plurality of vertical screws, a platform mounted thereon for vertical movement, a central drive shaft extending upwardly through the platform, a carousel rotatable on the platform and operatively connected to the drive shaft, a system of gearingconnected to the screws at the base thereof, a drive mechanism connected to the drive shaft'at the base thereof, and means to control the drive mechanism for the screws and for the drive shaft independently one of the other.

4. In an amusement tower as claimed in claim 3, in which the means to control the drive mechanism comprises: a: controlstat-ion movable'i withathe platform; having-remote controlade'vices iii-said; station, and. an; opera:- tive: connection from. the remote control device to the said driving; mechanism.

5. In an amusement z'towenhavingra .:plurality of floors with'openingstherethrough, a rotatable: carousel having; a. vertical movement through said openings, turnstiles forming entrances and exits from the floors to the said carousel when at said floor levels, a rotatable turnstile postconnected to each turns stile having a ratchet gear wheel,-means to 1 look said gear when the carousel is positioned between floors to prevent movement of the turnstile, and means to unlock said gear when the carousel is positioned at floors.

6. In an amusement tower having a vertically movable and rotatable carousel, power mechanism to raise and lower the carousel,

separate power mechanism to rotate said carousel, a clutch to control the rotation of the carousel, a brake to stop said rotation, and a remote control device moving vertically with the carousel to operate the clutch and the brake.

7. In an amusement tower as claimed in claim 6, having in addition a beltdrive having a drive shifter for the elevating mechanism for the carousel, and a remote control movable vertically with the carousel to operate the belt shifter.

8. In an amusement tower having a plurality of vertical screws and a central driveshaft, a platform operatively connected to .said screws for vertical motion, a carousel mounted on the platform having an opera-,

tive driving connection with the central drive shaft, a series of sprockets on the lower ends of the screws, a sprocket chain taking over said sprockets, a belt drive for the central drive shaft, a reversing belt drive having gearing for the screws, a clutch tocontrol the belt drive to the central shaft, and remote control means to shift the belts for driving the screws and to operate the clutch for the central shaft.

9. In an amusement tower as claimed in the carousel, and control means 'in'a. control station to control the vertical movement and the rotational movement of the carousel.

11. An amusement tower comprising in combination a vertically movable platform' having a control station thereon, a carousel mounted on said platform, means to elevate the platformtmeans gpere mting' cehtmlly -of 

